


Hair Braids

by Desparado



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, F/M, Gen, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:28:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26155771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desparado/pseuds/Desparado
Summary: Upon arriving at Oxenfurt, Jaskier begins his welcome home tour, leaving you with Geralt. With your hidden affections struggling to stay hidden, will all this time alone cause a problem?Contains swearing.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Reader
Kudos: 71





	Hair Braids

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “I forget how to breathe when I’m around you” and “You want to play with my hair?” From [this tumblr post](https://athxna-writes.tumblr.com/post/611341376778649600/fluffyhumorous-prompts) by @athxna-writes

As you all rode through the gate, you admired the red tiles along the walls and towers, the Redanian flags waving proudly from their spires. It had been weeks since you last entered a city and now you were in the busiest one in Redania- Jaskier’s proclaimed hometown of Oxenfurt. You glanced over at Geralt and watched him examine everyone in the streets, his hand fidgeting as it rested on his thigh, ready to reach for his sword if needed. Riding further into the city, you were relieved to have a break as Jaskier pulled up to a smart looking building, all brown bricks and wooden beams. “And this, my dear companions is where we will stay!” He stated cheerily, swinging his leg over Pegasus’ head and swiftly dismounting, before then turning and holding his hand up for you to take. After your feet gracefully touched the ground, you all heard various shouts of Jaskier’s name. You turned around as three young men in brightly coloured clothes came skipping towards you. Looking over at the bard, you saw his face erupt into a huge smile before he ran over to them, “My goodness dear friends how long has it been?”  
“Far too long Jask- your ballads have reached the city three times over before you!” A taller man in green replied, patting Jaskier warmly on the back. You happily watched on as the bard embraced each of the men, smiling and joking with them, before he eventually brought them over to where you and Geralt stood. “Gentlemen, this is the infamous White Wolf Geralt of Rivia, and this here is the gifted Y/n of Maribor.” Jaskier pointed at each of you as he introduced you, Geralt offered his usual grunt and you offered a small wave. All three men gave you a dramatic bow, which made you giggle slightly at the absurdity, before they then began convincing Jaskier to come with them to visit their old haunts. Geralt had already begun walking over to the stables before Jaskier waved goodbye to you, promising to meet with you both for dinner, as he was dragged off by his friends, all of them giggling like young, carefree students. Shaking your head and smiling, you turned and followed Geralt into the stable. This was when you realised that you had never been alone with Geralt before, Jaskier had always been there to fill the silence with stories and songs. You quietly tied Pegasus, stroking him when he nudged your shoulder before then turning to look for Geralt. He was staring at you as he leant against Roach which startled you slightly and caused an embarrassed flush to creep up your neck. “Sorry.” He mumbled before looking down.  
“It’s okay.” You replied, trying to show your best reassuring smile. The stable fell silent as you tried to think of something to say. Jaskier would usually be talking about nonsense at this point- something you weren’t very skilled at- and you assumed this was something Geralt liked as he had been travelling with the bard for so long; but you couldn’t seem to come up with something to say, which made you a feel a bit useless as a travelling companion.  
Geralt had taken note of your silence and glanced back up at you, taking in the furrowed expression on your face as you were staring at the stable door. He was horrendous at small talk, but you seemed to enjoy speaking with the bard a lot and so he was trying to think of something to say, something that Jaskier would be twittering about at this point… but nothing came. All he could do was stare at you and admire your features, the soft curve of your cheeks and jawline, the way your eyelashes fluttered around your eyes framing the exquisite colouring he could very easily lose himself in.  
You realised Geralt was staring at you again, obviously waiting for you to say something, so you cleared your throat, “Why don’t we go looking for saddlebags? I know Jaskier desperately needs one after that wolf tore a hole in his. U-unless you don’t want to come of course, I can always go alone.” Geralt seemed surprised when you broke the silence and you watched him move towards you with a single step, “Sounds like a good idea.” He replied and he walked ahead of you out of the stable, allowing you a moment to slowly exhale before joining him.

The streets were lined with studios, stalls, and openings to shops; merchants called out to lure in customers, the air thick with music, laughter and haggling. It was a little overwhelming- a stark contrast to what you had grown accustomed to whilst on the road- so you walked closely to Geralt, your arm often brushing his which made you feel a lot safer. As you roamed the streets looking for saddlebags, you began a one-sided conversation with him, wondering whether Jaskier was offering exaggerated versions of his stories, no doubt changing the ending to most of them.  
This was a very strange situation for Geralt. Not because of the busy streets- he was used to that- but because you were walking closely to him. Your arm frequently bumped his and it made his nerves tingle, which he didn’t understand. Not only that, but he regularly caught your scent, natural and lightly fragranced by your lavender soap, and it made his heart flutter in a way that should definitely not be happening to a witcher. When you began talking, he found himself listening to every word, not ignoring it like he often did with Jaskier; no he was intently listening to you, taking in every syllable, picking up every inflection and pitch change. He was too wrapped up in staring at your mouth and admiring the way it shaped words to notice that you had turned to look at him. When your mouth stopped moving, he quickly realised and looked into your eyes before looking away. You exhaled slowly, “I-I’m sorry Geralt, I’ll stop talking.” You were worried that you had said something you shouldn’t have, maybe you had insulted the bard in some way? “No y/n, you’re right, he’s definitely not telling them about how he screamed like a banshee at that rabbit.” He muttered, smiling slightly before spotting a sign for a leatherworker and leading you there.

The sun had begun to set, hiding itself behind city walls as the turquoise sky above began to blush orange and pink. You were enjoying a meal in one of the taverns, accompanied by Geralt and Jaskier, who had been chatting nonstop next to you about his afternoon, how he visited the university, met his old professors as well as few old flames of his. You were enjoying your mealtime when it was interrupted by two of the men from before. “Come on Jask! Let’s do the crawl again, for old times sake!”  
“Please Jaskier- your friends can come too if you want?” They were eager to get him to join them and you met the bard’s eyes as he looked at you, “Oh no thank you, I’m far too tired for any of your antics, go spend time them, we’re not going anywhere.” You smiled warmly at him and nudged him with your elbow. Before he then got up and joined his friends, receiving their cheers as they all left the tavern. Rolling your eyes, you finished your ale and placed the empty tankard at the end of the table before picking at the rest of your bread, mind still reeling from the wonderful afternoon you spent with Geralt. You were brought out of your daze when Geralt placed his drink down and shuffled in this seated position opposite you, “Y-you can go with them if you want. I’m not much company.” He muttered, half-expecting you to suddenly get up and run after the bard. Instead you gave him a lopsided smile, “Don’t be silly, there is no way I’m joining that band of childish fools. Besides, you’re great company, it’s nice to have silence once in a while.” Geralt frowned at your response, his brows knitted together.  
“I always assumed you hated the silence. You never tell Jaskier to shut up.”  
“True, but honestly I just let him talk. With you, I know that everything you have to say is meaningful… it’s a pleasant change. What about you? You’ve been travelling with the bard for so long, I assumed you would want lots of talking?”  
“No, silence is a blessing.” Geralt replied. He looked up at saw a hint of guilt in your eyes, then mentally scolded himself for forgetting how much you talked today, albeit far less than Jaskier would have done. “What I mean is, sharing silence with someone is nice, it makes the spoken words more… special.” He was embarrassed by his poor wording but that melted away when he saw your frown turn into a smile, the type that was small and hidden to all except the one it was meant for.

After dinner, you headed back to the inn with Geralt sharing a comfortable silence along the way. As you headed up to the room, you laughed at the straw mattresses on the floor. It turned out your arrival coincided with a major university celebration and so almost every room in the inn was full, except for one with discounted mattresses to place on the floor. “You’re having the proper bed this time.” Geralt mumbled, slinging his saddlebags onto the mattress at the foot of the bed. “Isn’t it Jaskier’s turn?” You replied, remembering the turn-taking agreement if there was only one decent bed. “Yes… but he isn’t here is he?” Geralt smiled as he spoke, the slightly mischievous grin made your heart pound and it was a miracle he couldn’t hear it. You hung your cloak on the back of the door and sat on the edge of the bed. You weren’t tired yet, stomach still digesting and your mind still flicking through the memories of the day. Geralt had sat on his mattress, shoulders slumped forward, his white hair reflecting the candlelight. You didn’t know why, maybe you really were fatigued, but you had a strong desire to touch it. “Geralt, is it okay if I braid your hair for a few minutes?” The words were out of your mouth before you could stop them. Geralt’s body froze and he slowly turned his head to look at you, “You want to play with my hair?”  
“Only if it’s okay? It might help calm me enough to sleep. But I don’t want to make you uncomfortable so please don’t feel pressured to-”  
“Okay.” He replied quietly. A hint of a smile on his lips afterwards, much to your relief. You sighed and moved to sit on the edge of the bed where his mattress was, indicating for him to sit with his back to the bed between your legs. He was unsure at first- weary of the close proximity he would share with you but he obliged and was grateful for the smile you gave, proof that you weren’t afraid of him.  
Once he rested his back on the bed, you hesitantly touched his hair for the first time. It was thick, slightly dry to the touch, but certainly softer than you’d expected. You began to comb through it with your fingers, gently teasing the knots out as you went. Any time you thought you tugged too hard, you apologised before carrying on. For Geralt, it was such a tender and intimate moment as he felt your fingers in his hair, and when you apologised for hurting him- despite him barely feeling anything at all- he smiled, more than he had in a very long time; the realisation of his feelings for you were coming thick and fast and he was struggling to cope with them.  
As you weaved the white strands into braids, you kept taking note of Geralt’s posture, seeing that it hadn’t relaxed since you started; if anything, it had gotten worse- his shoulders were hunched and you could see his left hand bouncing on his thigh. Quickly you released his hair, watching it fall out of its braid, and shuffled away from him. “I’m sorry, I’m making you uncomfortable, I can tell. I promise I won’t ask to do that again, I’m sorry.” The words tumbled out of your mouth as you clasped your shaking hands together. When he didn’t respond, you felt incredibly guilty for upsetting him and apologised again as you moved off the bed and towards the door. Unlocking it, you pulled the door open, for it to then be pushed closed by a strong hand. You turned around and Geralt was stood behind you, leaning against the door. “Please don’t leave.” He muttered, before leaning away from you and stepping back, afraid he overstepped a boundary, “It’s not you… its… I just… Fuck I forget how to breathe when I’m around you.” He admitted, looking away before he could see the wide-eyed stare you were now giving him.  
“W-what do you mean?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper. Geralt’s back was facing you as you saw him look up to the ceiling, take a deep breath, and turn to face you again. “Being around you… does things to me. I feel happier, I feel… like a person rather than a monster, and I like it. I constantly find myself learning something new about you that I adore… but I didn’t want to act on it because its not fair on you, I didn’t want to make things awkward with us travelling together. And now I’m doing the exact thing I wanted to avoid by confessing all this to you and I-” You stepped closer to him until you were breath away from each other, your heart thumping loudly and your mind whirring as it connected the pieces together. He watched you carefully, anxious to know what you were thinking, when he saw the small smile that appeared on your face. You took a shallow breath, “Geralt, I have something to confess. Since travelling along with you, I have begun to develop strong feelings for you. I have quickly become rather captivated by you and find myself thinking of you at almost every waking moment. It is an attraction that I didn’t expect nor intend to indulge in. Yet here I am, heart laid bare, wishing desperately that you would kiss me.”  
There was a small moment of silence between you as Geralt processed your words, before he then swiftly closed the gap between you and placed his lips on yours. Despite the fast movement, when his lips connected with yours it was surprisingly soft, almost innocent. Geralt treasured the sensation of how your soft, almost silky lips contrasted with his slightly chapped skin. As one kiss turned into several, you placed one hand on his chest as the other held his jaw; Geralt held you closely with his hands tentatively resting on the small of your back. The kiss conveyed more than your words ever could, which seemed fitting as you two had discovered a fondness for sharing silence together. When you pulled away for breath, you let a smile spread across your lips as Geralt rested his forehead on yours. You inhaled deeply, breathing in Geralt’s leathery scent, as your eyes fluttered closed. “It’s getting late, we should probably sleep now.” You whispered. A smile flickered on Geralt’s face as he pulled away enough to look at you, gazing into your eyes and once again losing himself in the colourful masterpiece. “I suppose we should.” He replied. He moved away from you and walked over to his mattress; the sensation of your touch still lingered on his skin. “Y/n?”  
“Y-yes?” You hesitantly answered, fearing he may regret what just happened.  
“Will you… braid my hair again? It was pleasant and I promise I will relax this time.” He gave you lopsided smile as he asked you, something you hoped to see more often as it ignited a fire in your heart every time you saw it. “Of course.” You smiled, shuffling to the end of the bed again and nodding at him to move into position. This time he closed his eyes, focusing on your gentle touch once more as you weaved his hair into braids and hummed a quiet tune.


End file.
